ENCOUNTER WITH THE SEA WORLD, the workshop is led by the qualified team
of the marine school VALSALINE in Pula

The marine school wants make approachable the beauties and ecological values of the Adriatic. There you learn that the true protection of this sea will be possible only if we understand how much beauty and immense value it has. It should especially be understood that that submarine world is sensible to human negligence and unreasonable behaviour.

Entities: – introduction to marine biology
the Adriatic – an exceptional living space
ABC of free-diving
the environment and inhabitants of the sea-bottom exposed to the Sun

Objectives: getting acquainted with the interesting and marvellous world of the marine biology

the participants should learn and understand:
– why is the Adriatic a particularly valuable ecological entity
– how, through your personal perceptions and exercises, to develop the conscious sense of responsibility
–get acquainted with some of the groups of plant and animal life

Work organisation: 9:30-9:45 – welcome address and reception to the Marine School
9:45-10:20 – theme: introduction to marine biology
10:30-11:00 – theme: introduction to free-diving theory
11:00.12:00 – practical exercises of free-diving techniques
12:00-12:30 – implementation of learned techniques, getting acquainted with sea bottom in Valsaline bay: sediment sea bottom, rocky sea bottom, sea grass areas, algae forests, gravely sea bottom, plaque rocky sea bottom
12:30-14:30 – lunch
14:30-15:00 – discussing the project “Environment & Plants and Animals of the Micro area”
– the task is to find and collect chosen organisms and study them methodically in the laboratory of the Marine School. Chosen life forms: shells, fish, crabs, green algae, brown algae.
15:00-15:30 – collecting samples
15:30-16:30 – elaborating of the samples following laboratory

Methods
2. AQUARIUM AND MARINE TURTLE RESCUE CENTRE
The aquarium exhibition is located in about sixty pools with flush sea-water, and hosts about 80 species of fish and 100 species of invertebrates. On the ground-floor of the fort the north Adriatic flora and fauna are exhibited, whilst the first floor hosts south Adriatic organism, freshwater and marine tropical fish. In the ditch around the fort you can see fish of European rivers and lakes.

The Marine Turtle Rescue Centre, the only one on the east Adriatic coast, is situated on the first floor of the aquarium, in three rooms. That is a real clinic for sick turtles, which are there due to pneumonia, stranding or wounds. After the period of adaptation, the cure starts. Therapies are prescribed according to a protocol: antibiotics, vitamins, rehydration substances and antiparasitics. If the treatment is not sufficient, additional tests are required, like for example operations and similar interventions. The most beautiful moments are when the turtle is given again back to its wild life in the sea.
There is also the exhibition “Evolution” with examples of living fossils; you can watch the educational film “Let’s Preserve Posidonia Meadows”: Qualified guides introduce you to the particularities of organisms, their behaviour, mutual relationship, and numerous interesting facts related to the inhabitants of the sea and their habitats. Accompanied by the guide you can touch a starfish, a sea cucumber, a crab, discover fish covered with sand, and notice almost invisible animals.

After the education at the aquarium, learning is continued with field work. Zones (supralittoral and mediolittoral) are examined on the shore and, free-diving, you can collect samples.

A boat trip brings you to the area rich in biological material. Whilst sailing you analyse weather conditions, the transparency of the sea, wave direction, streams and the wind. Samples are collected in fishing nets, plankton net or free-diving. Later on, organisms are determined and analysed in regard of their biology.

Package arrangement:
– 4 half-boards
– 2 educational workshops
– assistance